Apparatus for detecting biomaterials and method for detecting biomaterials by using the apparatus

Abstract

Provided are an apparatus and method for detecting biomaterials. The apparatus for detecting the biomaterials includes a light source unit, a biomaterial reacting unit, and a detection unit detecting. The light source unit provides incident light. The biomaterial reacting unit includes a substrate and metal nanoparticles spaced from the substrate. The surface plasmon resonance phenomenon is induced on surfaces of the metal nanoparticles by the incident light. First detecting molecules specifically binding to target molecules are immobilized to the surfaces of the metal nanoparticles. The detection unit detects a resonance wavelength of emission light emitted from the metal nanoparticles by the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon.

1. An apparatus for detecting biomaterials, comprising:
 a light source unit providing incident light; 
 a biomaterial reacting unit comprising a substrate and metal nanoparticles spaced from the substrate; and 
 a detection unit detecting a resonance wavelength of emission light emitted from the metal nanoparticles by a surface plasmon resonance phenomenon, 
 wherein the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon is induced on surfaces of the metal nanoparticles by the incident light, and first detecting molecules specifically binding to target molecules are immobilized to the surfaces of the metal nanoparticles. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the metal nanoparticles are spaced from the substrate and have fluidity. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the biomaterial reacting unit comprises a buffer solution in which the metal nanoparticles are dispersed. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising blocking molecules on the surfaces of the metal nanoparticles between the immobilized first detecting molecules. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the metal nanoparticles are formed of gold (Au), silver (Ag), chrome (Cr), nickel (Ni), or titanium (Ti). 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first detecting molecules comprise an albumin antibody, an anti-prostate specific antigen (anti-PSA) antibody, an N-telopeptide antibody, or a deoxy-pyridinoline (DPD) antibody. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the detection unit comprises an ultraviolet (UV) spectrometer. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising second detecting molecules immobilized to a surface of the substrate of the biomaterial reacting unit, the second detecting molecules specifically binding to the target molecules. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first detecting molecules comprise monoclonal antibodies, and the second detecting molecules comprise polyclonal antibodies. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the second detecting molecules are immobilized to the surface of the substrate by a carboxyl group (—COOH), a thiol group (—SH), a hydroxyl group (—OH), a silane group, amine group, or an epoxy group. 
     
     
       11. A method for detecting biomaterials, the method comprising:
 immobilizing first detecting molecules to surfaces of metal nanoparticles having fluidity; 
 irradiating incident light onto the metal nanoparticles to induce a surface plasmon resonance phenomenon and detect a first resonance wavelength of emission light emitted from the metal nanoparticles; 
 specifically binding target molecules to the first detecting molecules immobilized to the metal nanoparticles; 
 irradiating the incident light onto the metal nanoparticles to which the target molecules are immobilized to induce the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon and detect a second resonance wavelength of the emission light emitted from the metal nanoparticles; and 
 comparing the first resonance wavelength to the second resonance wavelength to analyze the target molecules. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the immobilizing of the first detecting molecules comprises:
 preparing a buffer solution in which the metal nanoparticles are dispersed; and 
 supplying the first detecting molecules to the buffer solution to immobilize the first detecting molecules to surfaces of the metal nanoparticles. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first detecting molecules are immobilized to the surfaces of the metal nanoparticles by chemical adsorption, covalent-binding, electrostatic attraction, copolymerization, or avidin-biotin affinity system. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , after the immobilizing of the first detecting molecules, further comprising supplying blocking molecules into the buffer solution to immobilize the blocking molecules to the surfaces of the metal nanoparticles between the immobilized first detecting molecules. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the analyzing of the target molecules comprises detecting variation between the first resonance wavelength and the second resonance wavelength to quantify a concentration of the target molecules. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the metal nanoparticles are formed of gold (Au), silver (Ag), chrome (Cr), nickel (Ni), or titanium (Ti). 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first detecting molecules comprise an albumin antibody, an anti-prostate specific antigen (anti-PSA) antibody, an N-telopeptide antibody, or a deoxy-pyridinoline (DPD) antibody. 
     
     
       18. A method for detecting biomaterials, the method comprising:
 preparing a buffer solution in which metal nanoparticles to which first detecting molecules are immobilized are dispersed; 
 preparing a substrate to which second detecting molecules are immobilized to a surface thereof; 
 specifically binding target molecules to the second detecting molecules; 
 supplying the buffer solution to the substrate to specifically bind the target molecules to the first detecting molecules; 
 irradiating incident light onto the metal nanoparticles to induce a surface plasmon resonance phenomenon; and 
 detecting a resonance wavelength of emission light emitted from the metal nanoparticles by the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon and varied according to the specific binding between the target molecules and the first detecting molecules. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein existence of the target molecules is determined according to the resonance wavelength of the emission light. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first detecting molecules comprise polyclonal antibodies, and the second detecting molecules comprise monoclonal antibodies.